Thanks for posting... I saw this on C-SPAN - it was moving for me to see our military in full dress honoring our president. I also happened upon the farewell ceremony for DoD Sec'ty Ash Carter yesterday on C-SPAN - I had the same reaction.
“And so we are called to remember core principles: That we must never hesitate to act when necessary to defend our nation, but we must also never rush into war -- because sending you into harm’s way should be a last and not first resort. It should be compelled by the needs of our security and not our politics. We need to remember that we must not give in to the false illusion of isolationism, because in this dangerous time, oceans alone will not protect us, and the world still seeks and needs our leadership as the one indispensable nation.
We have to remember that our military has to be prepared for the full spectrum of threats, conventional and unconventional, from 20th century-style aggression to 21st century-style cyber threats. And when we do go to war, we have to hold ourselves to high standards and do everything in our power to prevent the loss of innocent life, because that’s what we stand for. That’s what we should stand for. We have to remember that as we meet the threats of our time, we cannot sacrifice our values or our way of life -- the rule of law and openness and tolerance that defines us as Americans, that is our greatest strength and makes us a beacon to the world. We cannot sacrifice the very freedoms that we’re fighting for.
And finally, in our democracy, the continued strength of our all-volunteer force also rests on something else -- a strong bond of respect and trust between those in uniform and the citizens that you protect and defend. At a time when too few Americans truly understand the realities or sacrifices of military service, at a time when many political leaders have not served, if some in the military begin to feel as though somehow they are apart from the larger society they serve those bonds can fray.
As every generation learns anew, freedom is not free...”
He will be missed.
interesting sober and somber legacy essay from The Economist: The agony of hope:
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